By Colin Chapman.
The Ch'i-lin is, in essence, the Chinese 'Unicorn'. A bizarre creature, it was regarded as a sign of good fortune and justice; able to see the evil in men's hearts and smiting the wicked with its single horn. Strange looking, it's body and head were similar to a deer's; it had hooves like a horse; a tail like an ox; and a single backward-curving, fleshy horn. Accounts vary as to whether it was scaly skinned of had multi-coloured hair. Some stories feature them as steeds that could run as fast as the speed of light; other stories note that they could walk on grass without crushing it; and several stories point to their ability to sense the guilty. The Japanese Ki-rin is strongly based on the Ch'i-lin.
Like Dragons, they are particularly vulnerable to reversion, dying if they do so. See the last paragraph of the Dragon package on pg. 132 of the Feng Shui rulebook for details. Unlike Dragons, they may not buy other animals schticks, and start with 4 schticks rather than none.
Move +3, Fortune +3, Mnd +3, Ref +2
Chi Cost: varies
Shot Cost: 1
This power enables you to walk across all manner of horizontal surfaces without exerting pressure on them. It costs 1 Shot per sequence to maintain, but the Chi cost varies on the surface being walked on. Pressure plates, egg shells, grass, and thin glass cost 2 Chi per sequence; viscous liquids such as mud and quicksand cost 3 Chi per sequence; and water costs 4 Chi per sequence. As an added benefit you leave no tracks when using this power.
Chi Cost: X
Shot Cost: 3
You 'stab' your opponent with a single finger. If you hit, you may add X (the amount of Chi you spent) to the Damage rating of the attack.
Chi Cost: 3
Shot Cost: None
Using this schtick you can dramatically increase your Move rate. Roll Martial Arts; Difficulty 6. Your Move increases by +2 for each point of Outcome. It costs 3 Chi per sequence to maintain this heightened movement.
Chi Cost: 4
Shot Cost: 1 sequence
You study someone briefly, sensing their guilty secrets no matter how deeply repressed. Make a Perception check; Difficulty of their Will. An Outcome of 1-3 will tell you they have done 'something' wrong; 4-6 what 'kind' of crime they committed; and 7+ the 'exact' crime they committed. It has to be a crime in the eyes of the character. Stealing candy, or dropping a little litter don't really count. As a benefit this gift can be used to detect lies, only requiring an Outcome of 1-3. Each additional schtick adds +1 Perception for the purposes of this ability.
Last modified: June 30, 1996; please send comments to email@example.com.